Heat-transforming process and apparatus



Oct. 15, 1929. w. DAVENPORT ET AL 1 HEAT TRANSFORMING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed June 10 1926 INVENTORS Faflsom W flavenporf BY Harry S. faf/er A TTORNE Y.

Patented Oct; 1929 .UNITEDTSTATES' PATENT. OFFICE;

RANSOM W. DAVENIEOR'I. AND HARRY S. ESTLER, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGIQ'ORS TO CHICAGO PNEUMATIC'TOOL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY nE T-rraAnsFoamme rnocns's ANIP APPARATUS lication filed June 10,

' This invention relates to processes and apparatus for transforming heat. It is especially adapted to workingsubstances having liquid and gaseous components such as dis closed and claimed in the copending application of R. W. Davenport, Serial No. 603,998,

filed November '29," 1922, and 'may be considered as a further development of or an improvement upon the process disclosed and claimed in the copending application of l R. W. Davenport, Serial No. 15,172, filed March 12, 1925, and of the apparatus operating in accordance with such process disclosed and claimed in his copending application,

Serial No. 7 08,936, fillBd April 25, 1924.

It has been found in using apparatus such as disclosed in the last named application that when a machine is started warm so much vapor is carried over to the high pressure side of the system that the condensate temporarily forms a liquidseal at the expansion device. This prevents the passage of the gaseous component and causes the system to operate on the conventional or Clausius- Rankine cycle for some time With a reduced liquid,'vapor and gas) into the evaporator.

cooling or heat absorbing effect until the accumulated condensate is blown through the expansion deviceiand the latter begins .to feed all the products of the condenser (namely,

Thus the use of a feeding device having merely a continuously openforifice of fixed. size intended to pass therethrough in a single stream all the products of the condenser does not provide suflicient flexibility of control I to feed separate streams of liquid and of gas simultaneously into a single. space, to make the feeding control-entirely .automatic but dependent upon or a direct resultant of'the operating characteristics of the system, to devise apparatus -Which will accomplish the above objects, and in general to improve prior 1926. Serial No. 1 4,9oo.

processes and apparatus in the interest of more efliclent and satlsfactor'y servlce.

In .one aspect the invention comprises an improved process for producing thermodynamic effects in a closed cycle system utilizing as a Working substance a volatile liquid and a gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liquid and its vapor. In its simplest form the process comprises circulating the working substance through the cycle and effecting a separate control of the liquid and gaseous components thereof at one point, whence one of the components may be fed in variable volume. -The point of pontrol or regulation is intermediate the high and the low pressure'parts of the cycle. By preference the liquid component is arranged to be fed variably in proportion to the quantity of heat absorbed by the system. The gaseous component is fed continuously in fixed substance. In its preferred form it provides for feeding the gas continuously but for feeding the liquid variably or even intermittently without interfering in any way with the feeding of the gas and without affecting the volume of the gas which is fed. The variation in the feedingof the liquid component may be controlled by the level of the liquid in the feeding device.

In order to illustrate the invention and the manner of its operation one concrete embodiment of suitable apparatus for practicing the process is shown in the accompanying drawing in which the single figure illustrates in a somewhat diagrammatical man ner a refrigerating system of the closed cycle or evaporator-compressor-condenser type 1.00

' temperature and pressure into condenser C whence it passes through a feeding device 1 back into evaporator B. The elements comprising the closed cycle system herein shown, with the exception of the feeding or expansion device 1, may be of any suitable or desired type. The system is intended for operation with a working substance having liquid and gaseous components such as disclosed in copending application Serial No. 603,998 above referred to and operating in accordance with the process "disclosed in copending application Serial No. 15,17 2. A typical working substance consists of evaporable liquid, such as methylene chloride, and a gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liquid and its vapor, such as air. In accordance with the process it follows that both liquid and gas enter into expansion device 1 through inlet 2 from condenser C and that both of these components must be discharged through restricted outlet 3 to expand from the relatively higher pressure obtaining in condenser C to the relatively lower pressure maintained in evaporator 13 through the action of pump A. r

The feeding device, to which the invention particuarly relates, is arranged to pass the gaseous component continuously and to feed the liquid variably in accordance with its rate of admission from the condenser C. The feeding of the liquid is controlled-by a suitable valve but the 'gas passes through outlet 3 in fixed volume independently of or uncontrolled by the valve. The particular form of feeding device chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a hollow or cup shaped member 4 having outlet 3 disposed in a recess in the base of the member. The open top of member 4 is closed by a suitable cap 5 having inlet 2 therein, the cap being secured to member 4 by suitable means including cap screws 6, the mating flanges of parts 4 and 5 being arranged to form a fluid tight connection. lVithin the chamber 4 is a float 7 having a hollow stem 7*" extending axially there through and projecting therebeyond. The lower end of the stem is formed with or has secured thereto a needle valve 7 which cooperates with outlet 3. The valve portion of the hollow stem has a restricted opening 7 axially therethrough which places the outlet of the feeding device in continuous communication with the upper' regardless of the po-- 'are provided for guiding float 7 comprising a bushing 8 secured in the recess in the lower part of chamber 4; adjacent outlet 3 and slidably receiving an enlarged portion of valve 7", the bushing having openings 8 to permit passage of liquid therewithin beneath the enlarged portion of the valve.- The upper end of stem 7 a is slidaby received in a central opening in a guide plate 9 disposed in the upper portion of chamber 46. Above plate 9 and intermediate the opening end of stem 7 and inlet 2 is a suitable deflector which may take the form of a plate 10 peripherally engaging and retaining plate 9 in place and pre venting the condensed vapor or liquid refrigerant from condenser C from entering hollow stem 7*. Plate 10 maybe yieldingly maintained in place by a light coil spring 11 seated over a struck up portion of the plate and partly fitting within a recess therefor in cap 5. A screen 12 is disposed in the recess in cap 5 to bridge the inlet opening and prevent foreign matter from entering chamber 4.

.Plates 9 and 10 have openings 9 and 10 respectively, adjacent their peripheries to give the working substance access to the float chamber. lVith this arrangement the feeding device 1 causes a separation of the liquid and gaseous components of the working substance discharged from condenser C, the liquid gathering in the bottom of chamber 4 to control the operation of float valve 7 and to provide a liquid seal againstthe passage of gas past the valve, while the gaseous component of the working substance collects between plates 9 and 10 and in the upper portion of chamber 4* and passes through hollow stem 7 and the small communicating opening 7 in constant volume directly into outlet 3, independently of any control by valve 7.

During normal operation chamber 4? is partly filled with liquid refrigerant cau'sing float 7 to lift and needle valve 7 b to open so that both the liquid and gaseous components of the refrigerant pass simultaneously from feeding devicel into evaporator 13. WVhile the components of the refrigerant are separated in feeding device 1 and are conducted separately andindependently toward the outlet, the arrangement is such that these fluid streams converge and meet at outlet 3 and pass in contiguity therethrough. In the form shown the liquid stream passing needle valve 7 is generally annular in shape and the gaseous stream from the opening 7 in the valve passes axially into the liquid stream.

From the above it will be apparent that' the present invention provides improved processes and apparatus for controlling the workin substances in heat transforming systems of the described type, that the control is entirely automatic and at least in part governed by the operating conditions of the system itself, that the components of the working substance are separated at one point and then directed in separate streams in contiguity through a single opening, that one stream may be of predetermined constant volume while the other may vary in volume, that the variation of the second stream may be regulated as a direct resultant of the quantity of heat,absorbed by the low pressure side of the system, and that the structural "embodiment of the invention relating to the control of the working substance may be slmple and inexpensive and of a type not likely to get out of order.

While the invention has been herein set forth both as to process and as to apparatus in what is now considered to be a preferred form, it is to be understoo'dthat the invention is not limited to the specific details thereof but covers all changes, modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

- We claim as our invention:

1. In a closed thermodynamic cycle involving the taking in and the ejecting of heat and the causing of variations in the partial pressures of a working substance having liquid and gaseous components, the process of transforming heat which comprises continuously forcing the working substance through the cycle and maintaining the quan: tity of :gas passing through the cycle substantially constant independently of the quantity of heat taken into the cycle.

2. In a closed thermodynamic cycle involving the taking in and the ejecting of heat and the causing of variations in the partial pressures of a working substance having liquid and gaseous components, the process of transforming heat which comprises continuously forcing the working substance through the cycle and separately and autoinaticallycontrolling the circulated quantities of the liquid component and of the'gaseous component. I

3. In a closed thermodynamic cycle involving the taking in and the ejecting .of heat and the causing of variations in the part al pressures of a working substa ce having liquid and gaseous components, t e process of transforming heat which comprises continuously forcing the working substance through the cycle and varying the quantity of liquid passingthrough the cycle in roportion to the quantity of heat-taken into the cycle and maintaining the quantity ofgas passing through the cycle substantially constant independently of the quantity of heat taken into the cycle; l

a, The process of transforming heat in a closed cyclehaving a higher pressure part where heat is ejected and a lower pressure part where heat is taken in and causing varia tions in the partial pressures of a working substance having liquid and gaseous components which comprises continuously forcing the working substance through the cycleand separately L and automatically controlhug the quantities of the gaseous and of the contiguity into said body 'substance having liquid and gaseous components which comprises continuously forcing theworking substance through the cycle and limiting the quantity of the gaseous component passing from said higher pressure part to said lower pressure part to a substantially fixed amount regardless of the operating characteristics of the cycle and of the quantity'of heat absorbed by said last named part. J 6. The process oftransforming heat in a closed cycle having a higher pressure part where heat is ejected and a lower pressure part where heat is taken in and causing variations in the partial pressures of a working substance having liquid and gaseous components which comprises continuously forcing the Working substance through the cycle and varying the quantity of liquid passing from said higher pressure part to said lower )ressure part as a resultant of the variations in the operating charactertistics of the cycle and maintaining a, continuous movement of gas in fixed volume from said higher pressure part to said lower pressure part regardless of the operating characteristics of the cycle. 7. The process of producing refrigeratlon which comprises compressing a mixture 0 vapor and gas to a higher total pressure, removing heat from the mixture to lower the partial vapor pressure While keeping the total pressure substantially constant, collecting the condensed vapor, feeding separate streams of condensate and of gas in contlguity into a zone of reduced pressure,supplying heat to the expanding gasand to the vaporlzi'ng l quid to increase the partial pressure while keeping the total pressure substantially constant, continuously repeatlng the above steps in a closed thermodynamic cycle, and controlling the quantity of fluid in one of sa d streams in proportion to the heat supplled 1n the expanding and vaporizing step.

8. In a closed cycle system having a body of volatile liquid and a body of gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liqu1d, the process of refrigeration which comprises withdrawing vapor and gas from above sald body of liquid, compressing the mixture of vapor and gas, removing heat from the mixture to condense the vapor, expanding separate streams of gas and of condensate in of liquid to' absorb heat, and continuously repeating the above steps;

9. In a closed cycle system having a body of volatile liquid and a body of gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liquid, the process of refrigeration which comprises withdrawing vapor and gas from above said body of liquid, compressing the mixture of vapor and gas, removing heat from the mixture to condense the vapor, feeding condensate in variable volume and gas in fixed volume in contiguity into said body of liquid to absorb heat, and continuously repeating the above steps.

10. In a closed cycle system having a body of volatile liquid and a body of gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liquid, the process of refrigeration which comprises withdrawing vapor and gas from above said body of liquid, compressing the mixture of vapor and gas, removing heat from the mixture to condense the vapor, feeding condensate in variable volume and gas in fixed VOlnine in contiguity into said body of liquid to absorb heat and to complete the cycle, and controlling the variable quantity of condensate fed to said body in proportion'to and as a delayed resultant of the quantity of heat absorbed by said body of liquid.

11. In a closed cycle system of the evaporator-compressor-condenser type utilizing a working substance having liquid and gaseous components, an evaporator, a condenser, and an expansion device between said condenser and said evaporator having means for separating the working substance discharged by said condenser into its liquid and gaseous components and for independently regulating the feeding of said components into said evaporator.

12. In a closed cycle system of the evaporator-compressor-condenser type utilizing a working substance having liquid and gaseous components, an evaporator, a condenser, and an expansion device between said'condenser and sai d evaporator having means for separating the working substance discharged by said condenser into its liquid and gaseous.

components and for feeding one of said components in constant volume and the other of said components in variable volume into said evaporator.

13. In a closed cycle system of the evaporator-compressor-condenser type utilizing a working substance having liquid and gaseous components, an evaporator, a condenser, and an expansion device between said condenser and said evaporator having means for separatin g the working substance discharged by said condenser into its liquid and gaseous components and for feeding the gaseous component in constant volume and the liquid component in variable volume into said evap orator.

14. In a closed cycle system of the evaporator-compressor-condenser type utilizing a' working substance having liquid and gaseous components, an evaporator, a condenser, and n expansion device between said condenserv and said evaporator having means for feeding separate streams of the components of said working substance from said condenser in contiguity into said evaporator.

15. In a closed. cycle system of the evaporator-compressor-condenser type utilizing a working substance having liquid and gaseous components, an evaporator, a condenser, and an expansion device between said condenser and said evaporator having means for feed ing separate streams of the components of said working substance from said condenser, one stream in constant volume and another in variable volume, in eontiguity into said evaporator.

v 16. In a closed cycle system of the evaporator-compressor-condenser type utilizing a working substance having liquid and gaseous components, an evaporator, a condenser, and an expansion device between said condenser and said evaporator having means for feeding concentric streams of the components of said working substance from said condenser into said evaporator.

17. In a closed cycle system of the evapo rator-compressor-condenser type utilizing a working substance having liquid and gaseous components, an evaporator, a condenser, and an expansion device between said condenser and said evaporator having means for feeding concentric streams of the components of said working substance from said condenser into said evaporator and for varying the volume of one of said streams.

18. In a closed cycle refrigerating system utilizing as a working substance an evaporable liquid and a gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liquid and its vapor, in combination, an evaporator for'containing a body of said liquid, a condenser, a pump arranged to withdraw the vapor of the liquid and said gas from said evaporator and discharge it into said condenser, and a connection between saidcondenser and the lower part of said evaporator having a feeding device comprising a chamber and a float valve for closing the outlet from said chamber, said valve having an opening therethrough for the passage of gas from the upper part of said chamber. i

19. An expansion device for refrigerating systems utilizing asa working substance an evaporable liquid and a gas substantially inert and insoluble in the liquid comprising a member providing a chamber having an inlet at the top for the working substance and an outlet at the bottom, a float in said chamber, and a needle valve carried by said float for controlling said outlet,said valve having an axial opening arranged to connect with the upper part of said chamber for continuously conducting the gaseous component of the working substance'through said outlet, and baffle means between said inlet and said float for preventing liquid from entering said opening. 1

20. A feeding device of the type described comprising a hollow member providing a 5 chamber having a restricted outlet in the bottom thereof, a cover for said member providing an inlet to said chamber, a float in said chamber, a valve carried by said float and arranged to feed liquid from'the bottom of said chamber and gas from the top of said chamber to said outlet, screen and baflie means between said inlet and said float, and guide means for said float above and below the same. 21. A feeding device of the type described comprising a hollow member providing a chamber having a restricted outlet in the bottom thereof, a cover for said member providing an inlet to said chamber, afloat in said chamber havinga hollow stem axially thereof 2 and projecting'beyond the same at top and bottom, the lower end of said stem being arranged to form a needle valve for said outlet, a bushin in said'inemberadjacent said outlet forming a guide for the valve end of said stem, a plate above said float having a guide opening for the upper end of said stem, and means preventing liquid from entering said hollow stem. 22. A feedin device of the type described comprising a ollow memberproviding a chamber having a restricted outlet in the bottom thereof, a cover for said member prov vidin an inlet to said chamber, a float in said chamber having a hollow stem axially thereof and projecting beyond the same at top and bottom, the lower end of said stem being arranged to form a needle valve for said outlet,- a bushing in said member adjacent said outlet forming a guide for the valve end of said stem, 40 a plate above said float having a guide opening for the u per end of said stem, and a deflector plate alcove said guide plate, said plates having openings adjacent their periphery whereb the working fluid entering through said in et against said deflector plate may separate into its liquid and gaseous componehts in said chamber, the feeding of the liquid from said chamber being controlled by said valve and the gaseous component passing therefrom independently of said valve through the hollow stem of said float.

Signed by us at Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, this 20th ,day of May, 1926.

' RANSOM W. DAVENPORT. HARRY S. ESTLER; 

